How big is a whale?

A:

Quick Answer

Whales are mammals that have an incredibly size range, yet all whales fall between 13 feet long and 90 feet long. The blue whale, the largest known whale or mammal, ranges from around 70 feet to 90 feet. Most other well-known whales, such as the orca, sperm, humpback and minke whale, fall in a range of 20 to 69 feet.

Keep Learning

The blue whale is recorded to be almost the same size as the Argentinosaurus, an incredibly large dinosaur from the Mesozoic Era. Whales were a species of massive quantity until the 20th century. By that point, whaling had taken a serious toll on their population's numbers, and all types of whales, but especially blue whales, began to have a major decrease in population. More recently, steps have been taken to stop poachers from attacking whales, and whaling has been made illegal.

Whales are often used in literature to represent a great beast due to their large size. In "Moby Dick," a giant whale is the antagonist against a group of whalers. They are also famous not only for their large size but also their large voices, which can range from 155 decibels to 188 decibels, frequencies that are higher than most other mammals, and they even make "songs" with these noises.